Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Thursday, 12 November 2020

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement

Shared Island Unit: Department of the Taoiseach

Photo of Niall Ó DonnghaileNiall Ó Donnghaile (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

It is good to see Ms O'Donoghue and Mr. Duffy again. I wish to reinforce Deputy Conway-Walsh's remarks about formal engagement with the Oireachtas. The unit is within the Department of the Taoiseach. As those of us in the Seanad and on this committee do not always get the opportunity to engage directly with the Taoiseach, it is crucial that we keep up momentum from this very welcome engagement. I know the Chairman will seek to drive that i the future.

I also welcome the opportunity to hear from the officials today and their willingness to listen to the committee. However, when will we get to the stage that we would see terms of reference for the unit that are clearly identified in order to help inform our work to better engage with it?

Ms O'Donoghue mentioned the programme for Government and identifying the priorities in it. An example of a great way of sharing the island which was identified is the proposed referendum on presidential voting rights being extended to citizens in the North. I am keen to hear if Ms O'Donoghue sees that as falling in the remit of the shared island unit, as well as other aspects of the Government. I am sure it could feature on the dialogue series in the future, which Mr. Duffy mentioned.

The Taoiseach raised the work of cross-border bodies in relation to the unit. Others have touched on some issues where we could collaborate. Senator McGahon mentioned the greenways and Ms O'Donoghue said there was some engagement on that with the North. Currently, Tourism Ireland is an all-Ireland body and then there are the two different tourism boards on the island. One crazy by-product of partition is the ending of the Wild Atlantic Way in Donegal, and the end of Ireland's Ancient East around the Chairman's and Senator McGahon's part of the country. Changing that would be a very positive proposition, if we can engage with how to go beyond merely connecting greenways.

This point is probably mostly for Mr. Duffy. Article 2 of the Constitution allows for everyone born on the island to be part of the Irish nation. That is a foundation stone for the work of this shared island unit, as it is already in existence. One of the really important things that the unit could do is to have a dialogue or series of engagements and some serious thought as to how the Irish Government, acting within its capacity, could give further effect to Article 2 without reinventing the wheel. What mechanisms can be brought forward in order that we greater share the nation, as identified within Bunreacht na hÉireann and the provision that already exists in giving everyone on the island the right and opportunity to be part of that nation? That might be a question for a broader dialogue but it is one that I would like to advance in the joint committee's engagement with the unit.

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